September saw big gains for Volkswagen and Honda, two brands that have been pilloried by the motoring press for apparently sub-par products, while Chrysler led the Big Three in gains, if not volume.

Honda and Acura combined sales were up 31 percent overall, with the CR-V posting a 14 percent gain in a very competitive crossover market. Kia and VW were up 35 and 38 percent overall, while Chrysler posted a 12 percent gain overall, while Ford sales were flat and GM posted a 2 percent gain. Over at Good Car Bad Car, Tim Cain has put together sales rankings for September, as well as some interesting observations on the winners and losers of this past month.

Automaker

Sept. 2012

Sept. 2011

Pct. chng.

9 month
2012

9 month
2011

Pct. chng.

BMW Group

26,692

25,779

4%

235,216

219,584

7%

BMW division

21,761

21,750

0%

186,397

177,679

5%

Mini

4,899

3,999

23%

48,531

41,635

17%

Rolls-Royce

32

30

7%

288

270

7%

BMW Group

26,692

25,779

4%

235,216

219,584

7%

Chrysler Group

142,041

127,336

12%

1,250,670

1,009,414

24%

Chrysler Division

24,850

23,559

6%

241,466

157,551

53%

Dodge

47,356

40,075

18%

391,912

345,444

14%

Dodge/Ram

73,770

65,439

13%

611,272

534,209

14%

Fiat

4,176

2,773

51%

32,742

13,861

136%

Jeep

39,245

35,565

10%

365,190

303,793

20%

Ram

26,414

25,364

4%

219,360

188,765

16%

Chrysler Group

142,041

127,336

12%

1,250,670

1,009,414

24%

Daimler AG

25,984

23,900

9%

214,374

186,294

15%

Maybach

4

3

33%

36

27

33%

Mercedes-Benz

24,950

23,428

7%

207,027

182,510

13%

Smart USA

1,030

469

120%

7,311

3,757

95%

Daimler AG

25,984

23,900

9%

214,374

186,294

15%

Ford Motor Co.

174,454

174,860

0%

1,685,068

1,599,711

5%

Ford division

167,652

167,842

0%

1,621,188

1,534,622

6%

Lincoln

6,802

7,018

–3%

63,880

64,841

–2%

Mercury

–

–

–%

–

248

–100%

Ford Motor Co.

174,454

174,860

0%

1,685,068

1,599,711

5%

General Motors

210,245

207,145

2%

1,967,715

1,902,149

3%

Buick

14,673

13,599

8%

137,262

140,092

–2%

Cadillac

12,579

12,741

–1%

103,512

113,190

–9%

Chevrolet

149,801

147,611

2%

1,420,383

1,353,933

5%

GMC

33,192

33,194

0%

306,558

294,934

4%

General Motors

210,245

207,145

2%

1,967,715

1,902,149

3%

Honda (American)

117,211

89,532

31%

1,066,458

859,797

24%

Acura

14,366

10,010

44%

115,773

89,146

30%

Honda Division

102,845

79,522

29%

950,685

770,651

23%

Honda (American)

117,211

89,532

31%

1,066,458

859,797

24%

Hyundai Group

108,130

87,660

23%

974,728

860,319

13%

Hyundai division

60,025

52,051

15%

539,814

492,914

10%

Kia

48,105

35,609

35%

434,914

367,405

18%

Hyundai Group

108,130

87,660

23%

974,728

860,319

13%

Jaguar Land Rover

4,640

3,851

21%

41,224

34,965

18%

Jaguar

1,004

1,111

–10%

9,550

9,315

3%

Land Rover

3,636

2,740

33%

31,674

25,650

24%

Jaguar Land Rover

4,640

3,851

21%

41,224

34,965

18%

Maserati

269

198

36%

1,984

1,705

16%

Maserati

269

198

36%

1,984

1,705

16%

Mazda

24,135

25,521

–5%

209,482

191,315

10%

Mazda

24,135

25,521

–5%

209,482

191,315

10%

Mitsubishi

4,806

5,803

–17%

46,122

65,875

–30%

Mitsubishi

4,806

5,803

–17%

46,122

65,875

–30%

Nissan

91,907

92,964

–1%

866,484

774,079

12%

Infiniti

9,445

8,479

11%

86,596

72,181

20%

Nissan Division

82,462

84,485

–2%

779,888

701,898

11%

Nissan

91,907

92,964

–1%

866,484

774,079

12%

Saab Cars North America

–

429

–100%

–

4,647

–100%

Saab

–

429

–100%

–

4,647

–100%

Subaru

27,683

20,934

32%

245,463

195,550

26%

Subaru

27,683

20,934

32%

245,463

195,550

26%

Suzuki

1,921

2,026

–5%

19,149

20,284

–6%

Suzuki

1,921

2,026

–5%

19,149

20,284

–6%

Toyota

171,910

121,451

42%

1,571,424

1,194,523

32%

Lexus

20,386

14,995

36%

170,990

135,647

26%

Scion

6,743

3,838

76%

56,490

37,607

50%

Toyota division

144,781

102,618

41%

1,343,944

1,021,269

32%

Toyota/Scion

151,524

106,456

42%

1,400,434

1,058,876

32%

Toyota

171,910

121,451

42%

1,571,424

1,194,523

32%

Volkswagen

51,656

39,111

32%

450,802

344,617

31%

Audi

12,302

9,725

27%

100,694

84,981

19%

Bentley

239

151

58%

1,644

1,260

31%

Lamborghini

40

29

38%

360

253

42%

Porsche

2,736

2,170

26%

25,015

22,664

10%

VW division

36,339

27,036

34%

323,089

235,459

37%

Volkswagen

51,656

39,111

32%

450,802

344,617

31%

Volvo Cars NA

4,977

5,042

–1%

51,626

52,155

–1%

Volvo Cars NA

4,977

5,042

–1%

51,626

52,155

–1%

TOTAL

1,188,899

1,053,770

13%

10,900,131

9,519,032

15%

Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: *Estimate

Reliability is a large problem with VW’s and Chrysler Vehicles every where imho! With VW’s there is the German Way for Repairs, anything else does not work.Chrysler has too many problems for them to be relaible, especially Electrical problems!

I still have a scar on my hand from wrenching on my girl friend’s 2004 JR platform POS. If you want the world’s best internet documentation on how to fix crap engineered parts, learn how to be a mechanic, and simultaneously scare your grandmother with your new found vocabulary, buy a Chrysler.

Death wobble isn’t solely a Wrangler phenomenon. 4WD Ford Super Duty trucks are plagued with this issue as well. Really any solid front axle vehicle can be affected.

It’s an inherent characteristic of the front suspension evident when track bar bushings, ball joints and steering dampers wear out. It’s also caused by using incorrect load range or size tires (gosh never seen that on a Wrangler or lifted pickup).

The bottom line is that it doesn’t occur in vehicles that are maintained to specification and are using quality OEM parts. Don’t bash Chrysler for a problem caused by negligent owners.

@gslippy Congrats on the Leaf! Always glad to hear from people that actually own a particular vehicle.

I’ve overcome some of my initial apprehensions and now I’m thinking about some sort of plug-in. Right now I’m leaning more towards either a Fusion or C-Max Energi – and/or a Brammo. No, I’m not trying to save the planet or save on gas – I just happen to like electric power trains.

I live in western PA. The climate here sees a wide variety of temperatures, but usually doesn’t dwell at any extremes.

The Leaf is a lease. Nissan was offering $7500 off MSRP, but only for the lease, not for purchase (odd). I’ve never leased before, but I was lured by the terms and by some hesitation about battery durability.

…it is not just tsunami rebound, it is Toyota rebound.
In Sept 2010 they sold 147,162, and Sept 2009 they sold 126,015. It is their best September since 2007…

Well, if your torture numbers enough.

If we go back to September 2008 and the global financial meltdown, to say you’re having the best September since 2007, but not beating it, is more of a sign of a general economic comeback (US car sales predicted to be slightly over 15 million units this year, after dropping to under 10 million in 2009).

The whole industry is up – the 42% increase YoY 2011 to 2012 is about the tsunami first and foremost, and the improvement in some key products (2012 Camry jumps out) second, and the death of the Ford Ranger third.

Tacoma sales up almost 50% – and although I am only reading tea leaves, I would suspect that displaced Ranger buyers are going to about the only game in town for a quality small pickup (ya I know the Nissan Frontier, the Tacoma is as good as they get and the GM Colorado/Canyon twins are a joke)

Scion has a big problem despite the short term sales improvement.

The FR-S sold 1,133 units, a steep decline from the initial couple of months. Does that represent a tight inventory? It could with a turn of just 11 days.

So what are Scion buyers buying? xB sales? Up 27%. xD sales? Up 40%.

Ya – so what.

They are both canceled models with no replacement slated. The iQ sold an anemic 668 units.

The really only bright spot was the tC, up 25%. Is that because of the redesign (it was an older model last year) or is this FR-S shoppers coming in, kicking the tires and leaving with the cheaper tC.

But when xB and xD inventory is sold through – you’re looking at 3000 unit sales a month that go away with no viable model to cross shop.

I agree with your assessment that the FR-S is a halo car, but people aren’t going to walk into a Toyota/Scion dealer to look at a FR-S, and leave in an iQ.

APaGttH – not really. Toyota had drop of sales in US due to recalls as well in 2010. Now they are claeing marketshare back, while GM and Ford are losing it.

For instance, Toyota cant build enough Corolla’s and Rav4’s right now, with tight inventories for 6+ year old models… imagine what will happen next year when new ones come out.

As to the Scion, who says xD and xB are not going to be replaced by something else? It is only media speculating that right now, which is silly… they did that before tC got replaced with.. tC again.

But regardless, FRS is bringing showroom traffic to Scion which is making them sell more models even if there is no FRS in stock.

Nevertheless, real story is their old models – Corolla, Rav4, Highlander, Tacoma are all selling excellent and this is why we have Toyota gaining marketshare. It is also a proof that Toyota’s image is back otherwise who would get 6 year old Corolla or Rav4?

That’s because the tsunami kept them from fullfilling their fleet orders last year. Their inventory hadn;t fully rebounded till the end of last year when they could make their deliveries to their fleet customers.

I was amazed that our local Toyota dealer was discounting Prius-Vs like crazy. My Mom got over $4K off MSRP for hers, and they gave her $1500 over Edmunds trade-in on her VW Routan. Considering she paid $15K under MSRP for the Routan new, she made out OK on the deal. With deals like that no wonder they are moving some metal. Have to wonder how the margins are though…

The Routan being BOTH a VW and a Chrysler product one would thing it would automatically be a disaster, but hers was perfect in 3 years and 35K. Not a single issue with it, other than she kept running into things with it!

I am also surprised BMW hasn’t been seeing a higher lift from the F30. And though I have seen a handful here in LA, I haven’t seen as many new F30s as I thought I would have by now. I think people coming out of E90s who don’t like the F30 for whatever reason — be it styling, high pricing, the options packages, etc. — are heading over to Audi. And they might start heading to Cadillac once the ATS ramps up. About that we shall see.

I do think that there are a combination of things that are hurting the F30. First of course, is the state of the economy. Pretty crappy for an awful lot of people, and the 1%ers don’t buy 3-series, other than for thier kids. Second is that many folks (quite rightly) won’t buy the first year of a new model. I sure wouldn’t! Thirdly, BMW’s new “trim line” bull$hit is KILLING them, per the sales guys at my local dealer. Have lost sales due to not being able to get the trim they want in the color scheme they want. They really need to loosen this up a lot. And finally the well publicized issues with the steering and the slightly odd styling here and there all add up to a good year for Audi.

Many people discovered VW but not their quality problems, not yet – it will take 5 to 6 years for hangover take place and for mainstream customers to realize than German cars are expensive and headache to maintain (in America).

It is also well known fact that American public do not trust stuff from American companies and Chrysler is up because it is not American car company anymore. Chrysler claims their cars are imports now (even if from Detroit). If GM and Ford advertise their cars as “imported” as well they would do much better. Heck how life would be much better if we could also import Government, Congress and Healthcare as well.